Shanya Robinson-Owens, a high school senior in Philadelphia who applied to more than 20 colleges, has been accepted into 18 schools and offered more than $1 million in scholarship money. The 17-year-old star student who attends George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science said she is excited about the offers, but also surprised.
"I wasn't really expecting it," Robinson told ABC News.
“I didn’t know if I should cry, laugh, I didn’t know what to do.” – 17 year old Shanya’s reaction when she was awarded over $1 million dollars in scholarships to 18 of the colleges she applied to. She attends George Washington Carver High in North Philly. Her story on @6abc
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pic.twitter.com/yAP61AX0zK— Christie Ileto (@Christie_Ileto) February 25, 2021
The family has been working hard to keep track of all the offers.
"We're not surprised she did get into all of the schools, we're just surprised by the amount of financial award letters she's been receiving," Robinson's aunt, Christine Owens, told 6ABC. "I've just been keeping track of all of the acceptances and prizes she's been giving and it's just adding up day by day."
Some of the offers came from prestigious schools in her home state of Pennsylvania, including Moravian College in Bethlehem and Cabrini University in Radnor, as well as Philadelphia institutions La Salle University and Temple University. The 3.2 GPA student is also getting opportunities from several schools around the country, including Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri.
The scholarship offers equate to $1,074,260, but with so many options, Robinson said she plans to take her time in deciding where to go to.
"We've always been extremely proud of her," Owens said. "My mother has helped raise Shanya since she was a baby. We've just been working as a team making sure Shanya keeps God first in anything she does and she is succeeding."
Ted Domers, principal at George Washington Carver, described Robinson as a well-respected student.
"In addition to being a part of a movement to bring more social action to our school, she's involved in a number of extracurricular activities that show the breadth of her skills, from robotics to journalism," Domers said. "It is a privilege for us to count Shanya as one of our own and we are excited to see her create opportunities for her future."
The Philly student, who also interns for her Chinese language teacher and helps grade papers, plans to continue learning the language in the future.
In her free time, Robinson enjoys writing and listening to music. Her advice to other young people is to be patient, especially during the pandemic.
"You really have to be patient," she said. "Stay focused. If you need to have some time away, it's OK. You can tell your teachers that because they know you're stressed."
The standout teen, who has to make her decision by May 1, plans to major in psychology.
